Olympic Nutritionist Promotes Benefits of Cherries for Athletes

Chilean cherry season in China is now in full swing and the fruit is currently a “red” hot topic on social media. Meanwhile, the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, to be held from Feb. 4 to Feb. 20, are just around the corner, with competitors already arriving in Beijing. It is therefore fitting that the Chilean Cherry Committee of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX) is this season partnering with health and wellness experts and influential bloggers to highlight the nutritional and athletic benefits of fresh cherries. For example, China National Team Sports Nutritionist Yu Liang has been blogging on Sina Weibo about the nutritional value of cherries, his fondness for the fruit and their suitability for athletes.

In the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games, Yu served as the China National Swim Team Nutritionist, and at this year’s games in Beijing he will serve as the China National Bobsled Team Nutritionist. In his latest video, Yu told his fans that cherries are a fantastic post-exercise food for runners and other athletes because they are relatively high in potassium, which is lost through perspiration during exercise. He further mentioned that consumers need not worry excessively about the risk of viral transmission from imported fruit. After purchasing, they need simply wash the cherries with cold running water and enjoy.

Images: Yu Liang/Sina Weibo